Department of Mathematics

Grad AdminUncategorizedComments Off on Humboldt Colloquium, November 2-4, 2012, Call for Papers

(http://www.humboldt-foundation.de)

The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation promotes academic cooperation between excellent scientists and scholars from abroad and from Germany. To this end, it grants more than 700 research fellowships and research awards annually to individual researchers who become life-long members of an international network of alumni, the so-called “Humboldtians”. As a gathering of the Humboldt community in Canada, the Humboldt Colloquium “Excellence in Research” in Toronto will celebrate the German-Canadian partnership in research and will explore current trends in the making and funding of excellent research in all fields of research in both Germany and Canada.

The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation has a strong history and special commitment of promoting excellent young researchers and supporting their building of international careers and academic collaborations. Therefore, we wish to involve a group of approximately 50 researchers in the meeting who are not members of the Humboldt community yet but may wish to become fellows in the future. The Session for Early Career Researchers will give prominent space and attention to this group, allowing them to present their current work to more senior and established Canadian researchers with strong international experience and connections. The format will be a combination of presentations and a poster session. Advanced PhD students and scientists and scholars who received their PhD degree fewer than 6 years ago may participate in the full three-day event and may seek personal advice on specific sponsorship opportunities from the representatives of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation and its partner organizations, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG), German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), Max Planck Society (MPG) and possibly Canadian organizations.

The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation will cover the costs for the participation of early career researchers in the program and grant a lump-sum conference allowance of 150 CAD for participants attending from outside Toronto.

Applications will be accepted until 7 September under the link provided in the attached call. All applications will be reviewed by a committee of Humboldt alumni as well as staff of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. The selection of the participants will be based on the abstracts, biography and list of publications submitted. All applicants will be notified by the first week of October.

Candidates seeking more information about the event should visit the website provided in the call. Should institutional partners be interested in attending the session and presenting their sponsorship or career opportunities, we kindly ask that they contact the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation:

Our partners at the IMA in Minneapolis are organizing an interesting
event on mathematical entrepreneurship for graduate students. Canadian
students are encouraged to apply, see below for details.
PIMS
===========
Dear Colleague,
The IMA is offering a workshop Fostering Mathematical Entrepreneurship for
graduate students. The idea of the 2-day workshop is to provide graduate
students an experience that will give them the confidence to create a start-up.
Students will meet entrepreneurs and venture capitalists, and learn how
companies are started, and what it takes to start them. They will be mentored
by entrepreneurs and venture capitalists on creating business plans, and on
pitching them. More information is available here
http://ima.umn.edu/2011-2012/SW8.1-3.12/
The deadline for application is June 30. We will let successful applicants
know by the first week of July.
I hope you will encourage your students to apply. We still have a few
openings. Thanks,
Best regards,
Fadil Santosa
Director, IMA
http://ima.umn.edu

The deadline to submit your reading and/or research course forms
for master’s projects and summer reading courses is MONDAY, MAY 7th.
The completed forms come to me. Blank forms are available in the
mailroom.

I will be away from the office from Monday, May 14 and will return
on Monday, May 28. If you need any confirmation letters from me, please request
them before I leave. While I am away, Jemima in the main office will
be able to assist you.

Dear Department Members,
The Undergraduate Math Union cordially invites you to attend the
Third Annual Math Talent Show this Friday, March 16th, 7:30-10:00 pm.
The show will take place in Hart House, Music Room, second floor.
Refreshments will be served. There will be a variety of performances by
both undergraduate and graduate math students. Please come out to support
your students and share in the magic of this rare and exciting event.
Family and friends are welcome.
We hope to see you at the show!
Regards,
UTMU

Grad AdminUncategorizedComments Off on Strengthening Mathematical Communities in Africa

Dear Graduate Students,
Tom Denton, a postdoc at York University and in the Fields Institute,
is participating and organizing and seeking your help in strengthening
mathematical communities in Africa. He will be giving a presentation
about his activities - and asking if you can help - on Tuesday January
24th, 5:00 p.m., at Bahen 6183. Please come!
His title is "Strengthening Mathematical Communities in Africa", and
his abstract reads:
We will discuss a number of initiatives occurring in Kenya to improve
math education at all levels (high school, undergraduate, and graduate),
while building links between Kenyan mathematicians and the international
mathematical community. Thus far, these initiatives have included
an international conference held in Nairobi, workshops for graduate
students, a math camp for high school students, and a new electronic
courseware system for undergraduate and post-graduate students.
We will also discuss the scope and impact of the African Institute
of Mathematical Sciences, which has three centers in Ghana, South Africa and
Senegal, and is aiming to expand to fifteen centers by 2050. We will
also discuss ways that you can get involved!
(My own minor African experience is at
http://www.math.toronto.edu/~drorbn/classes/0910/Homology/index.html
and http://www.math.toronto.edu/~drorbn/classes/0910/Homology/report.html)
Best,
Dror Bar-Natan.

Kumar Murty (University of Toronto)
Saturday, December 10, 2011, 6:00 pm
Ryerson University, Atrium of the George Vari
Engineering and Computing Centre
The TAU of Ramanujan
Ramanujan's story is as amazing as his mathematics. Being largely
self-taught, he emerged from extreme poverty to become one of the
20th century's most influential mathematicians. His is a phenomenal
"rags to mathematical riches" story. In this talk, we look at one aspect
of Ramanujan's life and legacy and use it as a backdrop to explore his
Tau: the essence of his creativity.
Kumar Murty got his B.Sc from Carleton University and Ph.D. from
Harvard University. After a year each at the Institute for Advanced Study
(Princeton) and the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (Mumbai),
he joined Concordia University as an NSERC University
Research Fellow. In 1987, he moved to the University of Toronto
where he has been ever since. He is currently the Chair of the
Department of Mathematics.
Kumar's field of research is number theory, algebraic geometry and
their applications to information technology. For many years,
he was Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of the Ramanujan Mathematical
Society and an editor of Transactions of the American Mathematical Society.
He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and a Fellow of the
Fields Institute. This year, he was elected a Foreign Fellow of
the National Academy of Sciences (India). Other honours include
a Steacie Fellowship, the Coxeter-James Prize, the Balaguer Prize (joint
with his brother Ram) and an "Inventor of the Year" award of the
University of Toronto.

Hi everyone,
The University of Toronto is having its Remembrance Day service on
Friday November 11 outside of Hart House. I am hoping that other
students and faculty will be interested in attending with me.
The service is from 10:15-11:00 am, and details are below.
https://www.events.utoronto.ca/index.php?action=singleView&eventid=7457
We will meet at 9:45 am on November 11 in the lounge on the 6th floor
of Bahen, and then walk to Hart House. Some of us might go out for
coffee after the service.
Hope to see you there,
Micheal Pawliuk

VERY IMPORTANT SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION FOR ALL STUDENTS
2012-13 NSERC VANIER CANADA GRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP DEADLINE:
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
2012-13 NSERC POSTGRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP DEADLINE:
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
2012-13 ONTARIO GRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP DEADLINE:
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
**Students planning to register in the mathematics graduate program in
2012-13 and who qualify to apply MUST apply for government scholarships
in order to be considered for any university or departmental
funding. Students exempt from applying are students who have
secured NSERC funding in 2012-13.**
**Students applying for both NSERC and OGS applications need only
order one original official transcript. The original official transcript
will be uploaded by Ida to the NSERC website and the hard copy will
be included in the OGS application package.**
**********************************************
NSERC VANIER CANADA GRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP DEADLINE:
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5TH, 2011
The Vanier CGS program aims to attract and retain world-class
doctoral students by supporting students who demonstrate
both leadership skills and a high standard of scholarship achievement
in graduate studies.
For more information, please visit http://www.vanier.gc.ca
Students must be nominated by the department and the department will
have a nomination quota, usually 2.
Canadian and international students are eligible to be nominated.
If you wish to be considered, please contact the math graduate office
and submit an application by the deadline as follows:
Vanier website for eligibility requirements
http://www.vanier.gc.ca/eng/eligibility-admissibilite.aspx ,
nomination
http://www.vanier.gc.ca/eng/nomination_process-processus_de_mise_en_candidature.aspx
and step-by step application instructions
http://www.vanier.gc.ca/eng/nomination_process-processus_de_mise_en_candidature.aspx#researchnet_instructions
*************************************************
NSERC POSTGRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP DEPARTMENT DEADLINE -
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12TH, 2011
- citizenship restrictions: must be Canadian citizen or
Canadian permanent resident
- other eligibility requirements are listed at
http://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/Students-Etudiants/PG-CS/BellandPostgrad-BelletSuperieures_eng.asp
NSERC APPLICATION WORKSHOP for students (St. George campus):
Friday, September 16, 10-12, in SS2135, 100 St. George St.
(UTM Campus Workshop: Wed., Sept. 21, 10-12, William G. Davis Building, Room 3129;
UTSC Campus Workshop: Thurs., Sept. 22, 1:10-3:00, New Council Chambers, Room AA160)
NSERC Video Tutorial for Students:
http://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/Students-Etudiants/Videos-Videos/SFTips_eng.asp
Application is completed on-line:
https://ebiz.nserc.ca/nserc_web/nserc_register_e.htm
NSERC FAQ page:
http://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/OnlineServices-ServicesEnLigne/FAQ-FAQ_eng.asp
Step by Step Application Instructions:
http://www.nserc-crsng.ca/OnlineServices-ServicesEnLigne/Instructions/201/e.asp
- Students must order official updated transcripts from any university
they have attended in North America. Students can hand-deliver the
sealed transcripts to the math graduate office by Wednesday, October 12,
or request the transcript to be mailed directly to the unit by the deadline.
- The Math University Designate who will upload the transcript(s)
is Ida Bulat, ida@math.toronto.edu
- Two reference reports on student are required. Referees will be
sent notification regarding the request for a reference.
They must complete their reports on-line and must do so by
the October 12th deadline.
*********************************************
ONTARIO GRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP - ABSOLUTE deadline
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 19TH, 2011,
final date by which all students must submit their complete OGS
application to the department.
After this date, the application will no longer be accessible on line
by students (all printing of online applications must be done prior to
this date as well).
OGS APPLICATION WORKSHOP for STUDENTS (ST. GEORGE):
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2011,
10:00 - 12:00 noon, Sidney Smith Hall, Room 2135, 100 St. George St.
- https://osap.gov.on.ca/OSAPPortal/en/A-ZListofAid/PRD1346626.html
- no citizenship restriction
- overall average of at least an A-, or the equivalent, on the last
20 one-term/semester courses for undergraduate applicants and beginning
graduate students Years 1 and 2;
overall A- average on all graduate courses completed for senior graduate
students (Years 3 and beyond)
Students must assemble the following documents and submit by the deadline
listed above:
1. completed OGS application (all pages printed)
2. application checklist
3. two academic assessment reports
4. statement of interest (for master's students) or plan of study
(for doctorate students)
5. list of significant academic accomplishments
6. list of scholarships or awards
7. official/original Canadian or US university transcripts
(undergraduate and graduate, if applicable)
8. transcripts from foreign universities, other than the US,
will be copied by the department
9. copy of student study permit for international students
Unsuccessful OGS applications from domestic students will also be
considered for Queen Elizabeth II Scholarships in Science and Technology
in spring 2012.
Students who have held 4 years of government scholarships and do
not qualify to apply for an OGS can be considered for the QEII
scholarship. These students should submit
OGS paper applications by the October 19th deadline.
Please do not hesitate to drop my the math graduate office if you
have any questions.
It is important that the deadlines listed above are met.